Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-01-28

Especial Correspondencc.1
PARIS, Dec 3l.-AIrs Fagnani, widow of
the well known Fabian American portrait
painter, gave a reception a few days ago i'll
her artistic home in the Place Nendome to
the president of the New York Nineteenth
Century club and Mrs. Courtlandt Palmer
Among the many guests who thronged the
drawing was Mrs. Emily Crawford, the
Paris correspondent of The London Daily
News and of one of the leading New York
dalies. Mrs. Crawford is most remarkable
woman, even in this city, which has always
been so famous for its clever queens of in
tellect" Her head is perfect storehouse of
information l often wonder where she gets
and how she keeps all the thousand and one
facts great and small, that she always has at
the point of her pen and tongue. But Mrs.
Crawford has a prodigious memory. She
possesses Jefferson's faculty for drawing peo-
pie out and learning from them all they have
to teach, and then she can read with the ra-
pidity Of Macaulay, who used to run his eye
over the pages of a book or the columns of
newspaper, and seize out all that was good in
them. Mrs. Crawford also shines in CONVEX
sation, and her strong Irish accent and bril-
liant imagination led ,Gambetta to pronounce
her the Nine. de Stael of the Nineteenth
by many listeners the other evening at Mrs.
Fagnani's reception, who were repaid for
their attention by hearing such interesting
bits of unpublished history as the following:
This is the way the first meeting was
brought about between the Prince of Wales
and Gambetta," began Mrs. Crawford. I'm
the winter of 1S77-S, when the Paris worlds
exhibition was being prepared, Sir Cunlitfe-
Owen, who represented England at Paris, as
he had two years before at the Philadelphia
Centennial, came to me one day and com
planned of the rather unfriendly spirit shown
toward England by Senator krantz, who was
the director general of the exhibition then
organizing. Sir Philip asked me if | would
not my influence with Gambetta, who
was even then the most powerful man in the
republic, and induce him to bring such pres
sure to bear on krantz that the English ex-
hibitors would obtain fair play. When Sir
Philip had told me his story l replied as
follows i am not surprised that French
republicans treat you and England with
GOODNESS, for Englishmen at home always
side with the Mcmahon party, which wishes
no good to the republic. Now, if the Prince
of Wales, who is in Paris at present, will
show Gambetta some attention, will agree
to do what can to accomplish what you ask.
After some further argument, Sir Philip
promised to lay the matter before the prince,
and the next day he returned to me and said
that his royal highness was quite ready to
make the acquaintance of the republican
leader, providing the meeting could take
place later in the year, because of some diplo-
matte negotiations then in train. | agreed
saw Gambetta, told him of Sir Philips com
plant, and Immediately the English section
81, oil t1,a dor
ton that it could desire.
MANY weeks passed and l heard nothing
of the promised attentions of the royal prince
to the democratic tribune. So one day re
minded Sir Philip of our previous converse
ton and it was Immediately arranged that
the prince should invite Gambetta to break
fast, and was requested to make known the
fact to the future guest. l therefore called
on Gambetta, and when had given him my
message he threw himself back with intense
establishment and exclaimed: is it possible.
And then assuming an attitude that wa:
habitual with Embarrassing one leg under
him and looking over the back of his chair
he continued What blow this will be tc
the reactionary party And now put in
my journalistic duties taking possession Of
me, since brought about the sending of thi:
invitation, may ask favorf Certainly,
replied Gambetta Well l resumed, q
should like to know all that Is SAID during the
meal | will show you what intend sending
to The Daily News, and you may modify my
report IN any way you please Agreed,
said Gambetta as rose 10 60 AL TINS mo
ment he took a portrait or himself which the
French workhen OF otrasoour2 had just pre-
sented to him, and said, as he handed it to me
Please accept this little gift have Thu
portrait now hanging on my walls at nome
and on the back of it have written out thi'
episode which am now relating; SO tha
whatever becomes OF it after my death, Il
will always be regarded as an Interesting his
torical relic.
: Several days passed and heard nothing
of the breakfast. began to fear that 1t hac
fallen through. feared that wind of 1t hac
got to the British legation, and thence to tn,
; Elysee palace, and that the prince had beel
: restrained by reasons OF state from making
, this advance toward the republican party at {
time when the French republic was in the
of moDar chistS and npDplp bp